I looked into this briefly, and I think I've spotted the problem. In the `shadow` package, version 4.1.5.1, the `debian/patches /495_stdout-encrypted-password` patch does not cause the call to `do_pam_passwd_non_interractive()` to be avoided when the -S option has been given, indicating `use_stdout = TRUE`.
I am not familiar with this code at all, but I looked into `do_pam_passwd_non_interractive()` (`shadow` package file `libmisc/pam_pass_non_interractive.c`) and it only seems to be doing PAM updating stuff that shouldn't be happening when -S has been specified. -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Touch seeded packages, which is subscribed to shadow in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1045786 Title: chpasswd -S does not operate according to documented behaviour Status in shadow package in Ubuntu: Confirmed Bug description: # lsb_release -rd Description: Ubuntu 12.04.1 LTS Release: 12.04 # apt-cache policy passwd passwd: Installed: 1:4.1.4.2+svn3283-3ubuntu5 Candidate: 1:4.1.4.2+svn3283-3ubuntu5 Version table: *** 1:4.1.4.2+svn3283-3ubuntu5 0 500 http://10.0.0.1/ubuntu/ precise/main amd64 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status According to the chpasswd(8) man page this should be the behaviour of chpasswd with the -S option. -S, --stdout Report encrypted passwords to stdout instead of updating password file. However in this version of the package with -S or --stdout the encrypted password is not echoed to the console and the password file is updated. Test case: # grep ^user /etc/shadow ; echo user:newpass | chpasswd -S ; grep ^user /etc/shadow user:$6$0pDpHiAG$e9Ks1Y8MwixB2rwdYCv0/abhTdTsWo5hEdLdOD85NHMovlPbQ.lWD163l1xgNipsZkzgSIzJarbnjK6xwywMf.:15587:0:99999:7::: user:$6$A15jTQUz$BJDqOMNV4WE2.SVwJ5DmaH7FoJC7p9Zlf5JpR.Cq.mV9ViBmrn.JNgrAv1nk4PdriKlANWeckGD/6nrNAES9G1:15587:0:99999:7::: To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/shadow/+bug/1045786/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages Post to : touch-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
